​Chair of the Workshop: Hosting Administration

• 09:00 - Opening statement by Mr. Francis Wangusi, Director General, Communications Authority of Kenya
• 09:15 - Remarks by Mr. Hodge Semakula, Executive Secretary, East African Communications Organization
• 09:30 - Remarks by Mr. Marcelino Tayob, Representative from the ITU Regional Office for Africa 
• 09:45 - Speech by Mr. Joseph Tiampati, Principal Secretary, Ministry of Information, Communications and Technology

​SESSION 1: ITU Activities on Conformance and Interoperability

Chair: Hodge Semakula (EACO Secretariat)

This session will review the ITU Resolutions on conformity and interoperability. It will show the ITU C&I Programme implementation including an overview on the ITU Conformity Database and the ITU C&I Portal           

S1-4 ITU C&I Programme Pillars 3 and 4: Riccardo Passerini (ITU)

​SESSION 2: Procedures to establish C&I Regimes: International Organizations, reference Standards, Procedures for establishing a Conformity Assessment Schemes, Assessment Studies, Building Labs, Mutual Recognition Agreements (MRAs)

Chair: Isaac Boateng (National Communications Authority, Ghana)          

This session will consider the applicability of the global system for conformity assessment (e.g. ISO/CASCO Toolkit) and the approach to Conformity Assessment, Interoperability, Certification and Mutual Recognition Agreements and Arrangements

S2-1 Why assess conformity? The benefits, principles and approaches to conformity assessment: Bill McCrum (ITU Expert)

S2-2 ITU Guidelines for Establishing an C&I Regime (Part 1) and Building testing labs (Part 2): Riccardo Passerini (ITU)       

​SESSION 2 (cont.): Procedures to establish C&I Regimes: International Organizations, reference Standards, Procedures for establishing a Conformity Assessment Schemes, Assessment Studies, Building Labs, Mutual Recognition Agreements (MRAs)

S2-3 Equipment certification, authentification of certificates in the context of MRAs and importation procedures - ensuring quality: Keith Mainwaring (UNIS)            

S2-4 Criteria and characteristics to establish accredited Bodies/Labs in the Regions for Type Approval/Homologation: recommendations and best practices (e.g. ISO/IEC/CASCO toolbox, guides and standards such as ISO/IEC 17011 and 17025); building Type Approval and Interoperability Test Labs and areas of operation - Part 1 - Part 2: Bill McCrum (ITU Expert)          

S2-5 Mutual Recognition Agreements/Arrangements: General Introduction, framework and benefits: Bill McCrum (ITU expert)

Session 3 : Conformity Assessment and Interoperability - Building Test Labs

Chair: Dr. Raynold C. Mfungahema (TCRA, Tanzania)                                                     

This session will show some key elements of the BDT guidelines to set up laboratories in the region, strategies, best practices, costs, status in the industries and their labs. This session will also present the accreditation schemes that could be applied for the recognition by the ITU of conformity assessment bodies (Laboratories) and best experiences, IAF and ILAC procedures for MRAs and MLAs.

S3-1 Technical and economical steps to be followed to build Testing Labs according to the identified criteria and characteristics outlined in ISO/IEC 17025 (Basic Steps to establish an ISO/IEC 17025 compliant testing laboratory). Criteria for selecting countries for establishing Regional Test Centres: Bill McCrum (ITU Expert)            

S3-2 Organization and Activity of a test Lab: Environments, procedures and methodologies to be adopted to establish, manage and maintain a testing center covering different kind of C&I testing areas: Carlo Mogavero (Tilab Italy)           

S3-3 Feasibility Study for Building a Testing lab: Bob Farotto (Tilab Italy)

​SESSION 4: Conformity Assessment and Interoperability - Mutual Recognition Agreements (MRAs)                        

Chair: Keith Mainwaring (UNIS)

This session will consider the conformity assessment procedures set up by various organizations, test suites, certification schemes especially from experiences gained in the Maghreb Region. The view of the industry with respect to conformity assessment and certification will also be considered.

S4-1 ITU Guidelines for the development, implementation and management of Mutual Recognition Agreements (MRAs): Riccardo Passerini (ITU)            

S4-2 Mutual Recognition Agreements/Arrangements: Procedures for definition, implementation and management of MRAs: Bill McCrum (ITU Expert)

​​SESSION 5: Conformity and interoperability Assessment on Regional Basis . Collaboration among Regional and Sub-regional Organizations for Establishing common Conformity and Interoperability (C&I) Programmes and Mutual Recognition Agreements

Chair: Christopher Kemei (Communications Authority of Kenya)                               

S5-1 Assessment Study on Conformance and Interoperability for EAC Countries. Background, Objective, Methodology Deliverables and Outcomes: Riccardo Passerini (ITU)            

S5-2 Situational Analysis - Status of Conformity and Interoperability and related initiatives in EAC countries. Awareness and Capacity on C&I in EAC countries, Centres of Excellences, Assistance required and Training capabilities: Thomas A. Senaji (ITU expert)

S5-3 C&I Assessment Study conducted for Maghreb Countries: Outcomes, Recommendations, Way forwards, ToRs of Committee of C&I Experts for Maghreb: Cheikh Tidjani Oudaa (Autorité de Régulation, Mauritanie)

S5-4 Results and Findings from the Study - General aspects of the Region, Regulatory frameworks, Accreditation bodies and Institutions: Joshua K. Peprah (ITU expert)            

SESSION 5 (cont.): Conformity and interoperability Assessment on Regional Basis . Collaboration among Regional and Sub-regional Organizations for Establishing common Conformity and Interoperability (C&I) Programmes and Mutual Recognition Agreements

S5-5 Harmonization and improvement of standards for ensuring interoperability in accordance with policies and regulations applied at National, Regional and Sub-Regional levels: Keith Mainwaring (UNIS)

S5-6 Proposed Roadmap for Conformity and Interoperability Programme, including MRAs, for EAC Region - Implementation process, Phased approach, Expected benefits for a common C&I Programme for EAC countries: Thomas A. Senaji (ITU expert)            

S5-7 Way forward for establishing common Conformity and Interoperability Regime and Mutual recognition Agreements in EAC countries - short and medium term approaches, possible scenarios for establishing a Conformity and Interoperability Regime: Joshua K. Peprah (ITU expert)

S5-8 Conclusions from the Assessment Study for EAC Countries: Joshua K. Peprah (ITU expert)

​SESSION 6 : C&I policies, Accreditation, test Labs, Certification, Regulations and needs in the region: the experience in developing countries

Chair: Carlo Mogavero (Tilab Italy)       

This session will present the situation in the region with respect to laboratories, accreditation and certification schemes, regulators and industry views. It will also consider the point of views of regulators concerning the need of certification of products to be entered in a national market and to fight counterfeit products. Proposals, experiences, certification and rules, solutions, TBT issues. Best practices for labs accreditation, technologies covered, conformity assessment schemes, associated costs and procedures, products certification will be shown as well.

S6-1 Homologatio​n of Telecommunication Equipment, Procedures and Experience in EAC Countries: Mwende Njiraini (Communications Authority of Kenya)

S6-2 Testing Laboratory experience in the EAC Region, Country's experience, Case Studies of Tanzania: James Kilaba (TCRA Tanzania)

S6-3 C&I Approach in Ghana - The New Type Approval Management System: Isaac Boateng (National Communications Authority, Ghana)

S6-4 Type Approval/Homologation process in Burundi: Gael Ingabire (Regulation and Control Agency of Telecommunications - ARCT, Burundi)

S6-5 Type Approval/Homologati​on process in Rwanda​: Noel Gatera (RURA, Rwanda) 

​Session 7: Interactive discussion Way Forward

Interactive groups will make possible discussions among the participants to find possible solutions to a satisfactorily implementation of the common approach for Maghreb Countries: Building labs and/or Establishing MRAs

Chairman: Joshua Peprah (ITU Expert)

Moderators/Animators: ITU experts, Participating countries            

​Session 8: Panel Discussion - Implementation of the C&I Programme and Action Plan for Maghreb countries

Panel: Follow up for the implementation of the C&I Programme in the region based on the results of the interactive sessions. Steps to be undertaken to facilitate the creation of regional test labs and/or establishing MRAs and to create capacity building opportunities at a regional level. Establishment of further actions economical, technical and regional presence.

Moderator: Joshua K. Peprah (ITU expert)

Discussions with Panelists will follow

• ITU
• Hosting Administration